Measuring Spoons

[vavavroom]

If you only cook you may not need measuring spoons, although table and teaspoons come in handy. If you bake you may need the full arsenal of measuring spoons as baking is as much science as art and precision can be very important. Below is the typical range of measuring spoons. For the larger ones I prefer the slim rectangular ones because they fit into the mouth of a spice jar while the larger round spoons don't fit. The sizes range from 1 tablespoon to 1/4 teaspoon.

The smaller measuring spoons range from 1/8 teaspoon to 1/64 teaspoon. To complicate things they are commonly labeled with old-timey names.

1 Dash = 1/8 teaspoon
I Pinch = 1/16 teaspoon
1 Smidgen = 1/32 teaspoon
1 Nip = 1/64 teaspoon - no inappropriate jokes!

A spoon measurement refers to a level spoon unless it says "heaping." A heaping spoon is ca 1.3 times the quantity of a level spoon.

 

[Pablo]

Heaping two tablespoons!

 

[vavavroom]

Heaping two tablespoons!

Of what?

 

[Blueshound]

A spoon measurement refers to a level spoon unless it says "heaping." A heaping spoon is ca 1.3 times the quantity of a level spoon.

Or, unless it says "scant"...

 

[Pablo]

Of what?

Almost 3!

 

[walterjay]

We do a lot of baking here. A few more are in the dishwasher.

 

[vavavroom]

Or, unless it says "scant"...

Exactly. That would be roughly 2/3 of the level spoon. Thanks for playing. Of course, using scant and heaping means we have abandoned precision.

 

[vavavroom]

We do a lot of baking here. A few more are in the dishwasher.

View attachment 198341

"No, I want the other 1/2 teaspoon for the baking powder. This one is only for saffron!"

 

[Pablo]

Adjustable for scant

 

[Pablo]

More precise

 

[vavavroom]

Almost 3!

Scant 3?

 

[Pablo]

You will want 3

 

[vavavroom]

Who would have thought "I show you mine you show me yours" would be so successful?

 

[Pablo]

Scant 3?

Depends on what ingredient

I did the salt for my kraut by weight though

 

[97prizm]

If you only cook you may not need measuring spoons, although table and teaspoons come in handy. If you bake you may need the full arsenal of measuring spoons as baking is as much science as art and precision can be very important. Below is the typical range of measuring spoons. For the larger ones I prefer the slim rectangular ones because they fit into the mouth of a spice jar while the larger round spoons don't fit. The sizes range from 1 tablespoon to 1/4 teaspoon.

The smaller measuring spoons range from 1/8 teaspoon to 1/64 teaspoon. To complicate things they are commonly labeled with old-timey names.

1 Dash = 1/8 teaspoon
I Pinch = 1/16 teaspoon
1 Smidgen = 1/32 teaspoon
1 Nip = 1/64 teaspoon - no inappropriate jokes!

A spoon measurement refers to a level spoon unless it says "heaping." A heaping spoon is ca 1.3 times the quantity of a level spoon.

And check out America's test kitchen or a side article that they published a while back. According to them several different brands weren't very accurate across the different sizes which blew my mind.

 

[vavavroom]

And check out America's test kitchen or a side article that they published a while back. According to them several different brands weren't very accurate across the different sizes which blew my mind.

That can be a problem. There are also arbitrary volume measurements that seemingly no one can agree on. Like a standard cup of coffee. But we won't go down that road again.

 

[vavavroom]

Depends on what ingredient

I did the salt for my kraut by weight though

I generally measure dry substances by weight unless I'm measuring very small amounts. With liquids, I go by volume. Graduated cylinders and spoons for small quantities.

 

[spasm3]

Magnetic set.

 

[vavavroom]

Titanium spoons anyone?

 

[ecotourist]

And check out America's test kitchen or a side article that they published a while back. According to them several different brands weren't very accurate across the different sizes which blew my mind.

My wife has a lot of cookbooks and is a very good cook. We hate to eat out because the food is usually not as good as we get at home. She adjusts the salt and sugar quantities in recipes downwards (often by half), especially when using cookbooks from the 1960s and 70s. We keep notes of the adjustments and how they worked out.

So there's that too.

Many good cooks don't measure anything. They take a bit of this, a handful of that, a pinch of the other and you're good to go.